I received another e-mail today about a particular presidential candidate.  The e-mail, like a dozen others I have received from Christian acquaintances, friends and family members over the last few months, was designed to create fear about this candidate.  As with most of the e-mail like this that I had received, I checked the facts on several different fact check websites on line and found that the e-mail included half-truths and in some cases complete fabrications.  Typically I have simply deleted these e-mail.  On occasion I have replied to friends or acquaintances in the following way, “You might want to check the information you are passing on against one of the following websites…” and then encourage them, “As Christians I think it is important that we are certain that the information we are sharing is truthful when we publicly criticize a candidate.  Your information may be true, but it seems that there is a reasonable chance that it is not.  If we as Christians spread false information about someone, we have committed slander and we discredit the name of Christ.  I know you would not want to do that.  It is fair to state your reasons for opposing a candidate in an e-mail to all of your friends, but when you do so as a Christian you should make sure that your statements are completely accurate and truthful.”

What I’ve found interesting is that I have not received any e-mail from my friends who are agnostics or atheists criticizing the opposing candidate with this kind of information.  Granted, many more of my friends are Christians, but I have friends and family members who are agnostics and atheists as well.  But not a single e-mail with half-truths or slanderous comments about the other candidate.

One of the recent e-mail I received was sent to a long list of people and in it was another “fact” which, after doing a bit of checking, appears to be untrue.  One of the folks who received this e-mail hit, “reply all” and wrote in frustration, “Why don’t you guys check your facts before you send out this ****.  I’m voting for the candidate you are supporting, but I get so irritated when I keep seeing this false info.  In the military I learned about ethical matters and truth.  What has happened to us, that we want to win so bad that we keep spreading rumors?  If your going to keep  sending out this **** please take me off your mailing list!!!”

Here was a man who may or may not be a Christian, who had learned in the army that the kind of behavior his Christian friend was exhibiting was unethical.  And these two men were of the same party, voting for the same candidate.

Regardless of which candidate we support, as Christians we should be held to a higher standard of truth telling than others.  So, let’s debate the issues.  Let’s raise concerns about whether we feel someone has the experience or the skills or the proper perspective on issues, but let’s make sure that we’ve checked our facts before passing on loaded e-mail and let’s be above reproach in the comments we share about either candidate.